If someone walks up to you at Rolex Kentucky and asks, “Who are you cheering for?” The correct answer is: “Everyone.” (Or: “You shouldn’t end your sentences with a preposition,” but that’s a bit judgey.)

The bottom line: Everyone has worked insanely hard to get there. Everyone deserves an awesome, safe weekend. Absolutely cheer for everyone.

That being said, it’s nice to know some of the back stories about the horse-and-rider pairs, so you can cheer extra-hard for a few if you’re so inclined. Here is my guide to finding your very own special favorite for the 2017 Rolex Kentucky.

If… You Appreciate Someone Who’s Played The Long Game
Courtney Cooper on Who’s A Star

Cost of breeding horse, bringing it up the levels, qualifying it for Rolex: probably about $1 billion. Finally riding your homebred at Rolex: priceless. Photo by Lisa Slade.

To be fair, getting to Rolex is almost always a long game, and I don’t think anyone shows up for the first jog without having faced at least a few (or a few hundred) bumps in the metaphorical road.

But it’s been an especially long game for Courtney with “Tag.” She owned his dam, and she bred Tag after the mare was injured. She started him, and she brought him up the levels herself.

It wasn’t easy from that point on either. Tag had, and has, some quirks. Courtney suffered her own injuries along the way. They missed the 2015 Rolex when the gelding was hurt, completed last year (Courtney’s first year riding at Rolex), and then Tag spent last fall ill with gastrointestinal issues before veterinarians figured out how to help him.

But he’s back, and he’s ready to compete!

(If you’re a subscriber, you can read more about the pair’s history in our Rolex Preview issue—they were our cover story!) 

If… You Also Hate Jogging
James Alliston on Parker

Parker: Great at cross-country. Bad at jogging. Photos by Lisa Slade.

James Alliston and Parker’s hardest day at Rolex will probably be the first day. And no, I’m not talking about dressage. For James and Parker, the first horse inspection is perhaps the biggest challenge they’ll face all weekend—until the second horse inspection, that is—and it has nothing to do with soundness.

Parker shoves James into the flowers; he runs him off the jog strip; he bucks and cavorts; he canters instead of trotting. He nearly always has to take a second pass in front of the ground jury, but again, not for soundness reasons. The crowd laughs. The ground jury members stifle smiles. James looks slightly less amused.

But though Parker and James might not relish the jog (well, maybe Parker does), Saturday is when they’ll thrive. This is their seventh Rolex together, and the pair completed five of their previous six without any cross-country jumping penalties. Parker’s a cross-country machine, and you should definitely plan to watch him in his element on course—and at the jog.

If… You’re A Fan Of Bruce Davidson
Buck Davidson on Petite Flower and Kelly Prather on Truly Wiley

Buck Davidson: son of Bruce Davidson. Petite Flower: mare bred by Bruce Davidson. Photo by Lisa Slade.

No, the legend isn’t competing at Rolex this year. But two horses he bred—Petite Flower (ridden by Buck Davidson) and Truly Wiley (ridden by Kelly Prather)—will be there. Both are out of the same mare, Tears Of A Loss.

There aren’t too many riders who have statues in their honor at the Kentucky Horse Park and bred 1/33 of the equine field in addition to fathering one of the riders. In fact, it’s only one. Bruce Davidson.

If… You Often Think: “Horses, Why?”
Zara Tindall on High Kingdom

High Kingdom, on a day he didn’t hurt his leg in the stabling before dressage at a four-star event. Photo by Lisa Slade.

Zara Tindall (née Phillips) brought High Kingdom all the way from Great Britain for the 2015 Rolex Kentucky, and the gelding cut his leg in the stabling at the Kentucky Horse Park one hour before his dressage time. Zara withdrew him from the warm-up when he wasn’t quite right.

So obviously that was a major bummer for them, and WHO AMONG US HAS NOT EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH HORSES? Fingers crossed for better luck for them this year.

If… You Want To Root For The Underdog
Michael Jung on FischerRocana FST

Michael Jung, owner of probably 100 Rolex watches. Photo by Lindsay Berreth, owner of zero Rolex watches.

Just kidding.

But last fall Michael Jung and Rocana did the Pau CCI**** in France, and they did not win. They placed third. (Michael was second on FischerTakinou, BUT the winner was France’s Maxime Livio on Qalao Des Mers, who is also entered at Rolex this year.)

So all I’m saying is that it’s not a fully foregone conclusion that Michael will head back to Germany with yet another Rolex watch in his luggage. (Is he running out of family members/grooms to give them to? Does he need suggestions for people who still need one?)

If… You Appreciate A Rider Who’s Won More Rolex CCI****s Than Any Other U.S. Rider
Kim Severson on Cooley Cross Border

Kim Severson. She’s got skills. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

I’m talking about the one and only Kim Severson, who won in 2002, 2004 and 2005 with Winsome Adante. In this instance, I feel it’s best to just quote Jimmy Wofford from our Rolex Preview Issue. (Though when isn’t it best to just quote Jimmy?)

“It has been years since since Kim won her individual silver medal at the 2004 Olympics. Watching her on the victory podium that night in Athens, I thought she would dominate the sport for a decade,” he said. “Unfortunately it has taken Kim that decade and more to find another horse who suits her as well as Linda Wachtmeister’s legendary Winsome Adante. But you heard it here first. Kim is back, she is on form, and the selectors have the Champagne on ice, waiting to celebrate a top-five placing.”

(If you’re a subscriber, you can read all of Jimmy’s predictions.)

If… You Like A Golden Oldie Horse
Tsunami III (Sally Cousins), Mr. Medicott (Phillip Dutton), Rise Against (Bunnie Sexton) and Irish Rhythm (Rachel McDonough)

At this year’s Rolex, there are four horses old enough to vote, and then a handful of 17-year-olds as well. Age is just a number, but it’s still an impressive testament to good management.

If… Tamarillo Was Your Favorite Event Horse In 2004
Lauren Kieffer on Vermiculus

He’s a pretty cute Bug. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Fun fact: In Latin, Vermiculus means “little worm” or “crimson,” both of which make sense for the equine Vermiculus, since he’s a red bay horse with the barn name “Bug.”

But beyond his funny name, Bug is interesting because of his unusual event horse breeding. Bug is a full sibling to Kieffer’s first Rolex Kentucky mount, Snooze Alarm, and an Anglo-Arabian. He’s the only one in the field this year, but he’s in good historical company with William Fox-Pitt’s famous Tamarillo, who was also an Anglo-Arabian. No pressure, Bug, no pressure.

If… You Want To Have Someone’s Back
Phillip Dutton on Mr. Medicott, I’m Sew Ready and Fernhill Fugitive

Go Phillip. Go eventing. (Briefly borrowing your tagline, EN.) Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

The eventing community has rallied around the Dutton family since Phillip’s stepdaughter Lee Lee Jones sustained a serious head injury last December. Lee Lee’s undergoing a lengthy rehabilitation now, and Phillip’s said her recovery will be a marathon and not a sprint.

So let’s keep rallying. Cheer extra hard for Phillip this weekend. (And make sure to check out the online auction with proceeds entirely benefiting Lee Lee’s rehabilitation.)

Do you have a sentimental favorite? Let us know who and why in the comments!

Save